


to innocence

by thorbrucekyrie (arthureverest)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Genre: Gen, Songfic, Wistful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 01:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14780729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthureverest/pseuds/thorbrucekyrie
Summary: here's a little thing based on 'Same Old Lang Syne' by Dan Fogelberg.





	to innocence

December 24th didn’t mean anything to him, save the annoying, scratching, constant overstimulus from midway through november ‘til his tomorrow. He watched the snow fall softly from his window, thinking about whatever kids in the area were hoping for a white christmas.

Bruce was hungry, and of course had food at home, but had enough around that he didn’t want any of it. In the snow he could have easily walked to the closest grocery, but he chose to travel a bit farther to go to his favorite one, Fogelberg’s. 

He was ambling around the frozen foods when he saw her. Betty. He hadn’t seen her in years, but, Oh, she felt the same. He stole behind her and when he touched her sleeve gently, she turned around. She didn’t recognize him, what with the greying and the– well, he looked a lot different. But after a moment she knew who he was, her blue eyes widening as she reached to hug him and spilled her purse. They both laughed, real genuinely laughs that Bruce hadn’t felt in his throat for so long. 

They walked together to the checkout, catching up as the clerk bagged their stuff. The clerk didn’t even look up as Bruce told his stories about the Avengers. Suppose that’s what working on holidays does to you. 

Bruce was still embarrassed to be talking about his life in front of them, and Betty could tell. She invited him to have a drink or something, but all the bars were closed. Bruce didn’t drink anyway. They ended up just drinking bottled cream sodas together in her car. 

He said the years had been a friend to her, and she thanked him gently. She said she saw him on the news sometimes, and she hoped him doing well.

> we drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to now, tried to reach beyond the emptiness but neither one knew how

As the bottles went dry, and his words too, she said she needed to get back home to the kids. _The kids._ Of course she got to move on, but. Oh, it hurt.

She kissed him gently before getting out of the car, and watching her drive away. For just a moment, just a singular moment he felt like he did years ago, before the incident. 

Then the familiar pain washed over him again. He walked home as the snow turned rain, and the crunching at his feet turned to slush against his boots. It was good to see her again, he thought. It was good to see himself again, too.

**Author's Note:**

> hey did you know betty ross is alive and well and has three kids and loves them dearly? it's true tom holland told me
> 
> anyway


End file.
